Herbs and spices have been used since antiquity for their nutritional and health properties, as well as in traditional remedies for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. Therefore, this study aims to perform a chemical analysis of both essential oils (EOs) from the seeds of Carum carvi (C. carvi) and Coriandrum sativum (C. sativum) and evaluate their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and antidiabetic activities alone and in combination. Results showed that the EOs mainly constitute monoterpenes with γ-terpinene (31.03%), β-pinene (18.77%), p-cymene (17.16%), and carvone (12.20%) being the major components present in C. carvi EO and linalool (76.41%), γ-terpinene (5.35%), and α-pinene (4.44%) in C. sativum EO. In comparison to standards, statistical analysis revealed that C. carvi EO showed high and significantly different (p < 0.05) antioxidant activity than C. sativum EO, but lower than the mixture. Moreover, the mixture exhibited two-times greater ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (IC₅₀ = 11.33 ± 1.53 mg/mL) and equipotent chelating power (IC₅₀ = 31.33 ± 0.47 mg/mL) than the corresponding references, and also potent activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (IC₅₀ = 19.00 ± 1.00 mg/mL), β-carotene (IC₅₀ = 11.16 ± 0.84 mg/mL), and superoxide anion (IC₅₀ = 10.33 ± 0.58 mg/mL) assays. Antimicrobial data revealed that single and mixture EOs were active against a panel of pathogenic microorganisms, and the mixture had the ability to kill more bacterial strains than each EO alone. Additionally, the anti-acetylcholinesterase and α-glucosidase inhibitory effect have been studied for the first time, highlighting the high inhibition effect of AChE by C. carvi (IC₅₀ = 0.82 ± 0.05 mg/mL), and especially by C. sativum (IC₅₀ = 0.68 ± 0.03 mg/mL), as well as the mixture (IC₅₀ = 0.63 ± 0.02 mg/mL) compared to the reference drug, which are insignificantly different (p > 0.05). A high and equipotent antidiabetic activity was observed for the mixture (IC₅₀ = 0.75 ± 0.15 mg/mL) when compared to the standard drug, acarbose, which is about nine times higher than each EO alone. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic analysis provides some useful insights into designing new drugs with favorable drug likeness and safety profiles based on a C. carvi and C. sativum EO mixture. In summary, the results of this study revealed that the combination of these EOs may be recommended for further food, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical applications, and can be utilized as medicine to inhibit several diseases.

Plant-based antioxidants such as polyphenols have gained significance in primary health care needs, due to their potential and therapeutic use in modern medicine. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the effect of solvents on extraction yield, polyphenolics, phytoconstituents and antioxidant properties of various extracts (aqueous, methanol, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, hexane) of Echium humile Desf. (E. humile Desf.) through in vitro and in silico studies. Statistically, among the various solvents, both methanol (443.05 ± 0.50 mg GAE/g extract) and aqueous (440.59 ± 0.50 mg GAE/g extract) extracts displayed equipotent and highest total phenolics content (TPC), while dichloromethane extract had the maximum total flavonoid content (TFC) (151.69 ± 0.60 mg QE/g extract), total flavonol content (TFlC) (97.39 ± 0.19 mg QE/g extract) and total carotenoids content (TCC) (537.85 ± 5.06 mg β-CE/g). Meanwhile, the highest total condensed tannin content (TCTC) was recorded together with hexane (131.50 ± 0.1 mg GAE/g extract) and dichloromethane (125.74 ± 5.72 GAE/g extract) extracts. The results of antioxidant studies revealed that ethyl acetate extract exhibited a potent scavenging effect through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH^•) (IC₅₀ = 17.25 ± 1.76 µg/mL) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS^•+) (1433.30 ± 1.78 µg/mL), while dichloromethane extract displayed significant (p < 0.05) ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity (375.00 ± 0.02 µg/mL) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (1999.00 ± 2.05 µg AAE/g). In addition, the quantification of the polyphenolics content of the most active E. humile Desf. extract, ethyl acetate has been assessed by HPLC/MS, leading to the identification of p-coumaric, trans-ferulic acids and cirsiliol as major constituents. Additionally, molecular docking analysis showed that among the selected phytocompounds, naringin (−7.0 kcal/mol) followed by 1,3-di-O-caffeoyquinic acid (−6.6 kcal/mol), rosmarinic acid (−6.6 kcal/mol), rutin (−6.5 kcal/mol) and apigenin-7-O-glucoside (−6.5 kcal/mol) showed the lowest binding potential. Furthermore, ADME and toxicity parameters justify that identified compounds from ethyl acetate extract are safer to replace the synthetic drugs with side effects. The obtained results can provide valuable information on the medical and therapeutic potential use of E. humile Desf. as a potent antioxidant agent to improve immunity.

The present study was the first to evaluate the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anti-quorum sensing potential of Allium subhirsutum L. (hairy garlic) aqueous extract through in vitro and in silico studies. The phytochemical profile revealed the presence of saponins, terpenes, flavonols/flavonones, flavonoids, and fatty acids, particularly with flavonoids (231 ± 0.022 mg QE/g extract), tannins (159 ± 0.006 mg TAE/g extract), and phenols (4 ± 0.004 mg GAE/g extract). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis identified 15 bioactive compounds, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (37.04%), methyl methanethiolsulfonate (21.33%), furfural (7.64%), beta-D-glucopyranose, 1,6-anhydro- (6.17%), 1,6-anhydro-beta-D-glucofuranose (3.6%), trisulfide, di-2-propenyl (2.70%), and diallyl disulfide (1.93%). The extract was found to be non-toxic with 50% cytotoxic concentration higher than 30,000 µg/mL. The investigation of the antioxidant activity via DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (IC₅₀ = 1 μg/mL), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid); IC₅₀ = 0.698 ± 0.107 μg/mL), and β-carotene (IC₅₀ = 0.811 ± 0.036 mg/mL) was assessed. Nevertheless, good antimicrobial potential against a diverse panel of microorganisms with bacteriostatic and fungistatic effect was observed. Quorum sensing inhibition effects were also assessed, and the data showed the ability of the extract to inhibit the production of violacein by the mutant C. violaceum strain in concentration-dependent manner. Similarly, the biofilm formation by all tested strains was inhibited at low concentrations. In silico pharmacokinetic and toxicological prediction indicated that, out of the sixteen identified compounds, fourteen showed promising drug ability and could be used as lead compounds for further development and drug design. Hence, these findings support the popular use of hairy garlic as a source of bioactive compounds with potential application for human health.

Five Oudneya Africana (OA) leaves extracts were screened for their total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), condensed tannins (CTC) content, as well as their antioxidant capacity. The highest amount of TPC (661.66 ± 0.08 mg GAE/g), TFC (344.68 ± 0.44 mg QE/g) and TCT (90.18 ± 0.49 mg CE/g) was recorded to ethanol, acetone, and dichloromethane extracts, respectively. For 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (22.00 ± 0.03 µg/mL) and Reducing Power Assay (FRAP) (269.00 ± 0.01µg/mL) assays, ethanol extract showed the potent activity, while with ABTS test, acetone extract was the most active (761.15 ± 0.09 µg/mL). HPLC-MS analysis of acetonic and ethanolic extracts reveals the predominance of quinic acid, chlorogenic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, and rutin compounds. The addition effect evaluation of OA extracts in beef burger preservation demonstrates the powerful effect (p < 0.05) of acetonic and ethanolic ones (0.03%) to inhibit lipids oxidation during storage for 10 days, given by the lowest increase in Thiobarbituric Acid-reactive Substances (TBARS) values as compared to the (−) control with a significant difference between free thiols values. In addition, these two extracts appear to be effective (p < 0.05) for pH stability, color, and sensory parameters as compared to (+) and (−) controls and aqueous extract. Hamburger odour was considered as a dependent variable in multiple linear regression analysis, where the models results showed that physicochemical parameters determine more burger odour than sensorial ones.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate for the first time the phytochemical constituents and biological properties of three (ethanol, acetone, and hexane) Arthrocnemum indicum (Willd.) Moq. (A. indicum) extracts. Quantitative analysis revealed the significantly (p < 0.05) dominance of ethanolic extract on total polyphenol (TPC; 303.67 ± 4.16 mg GAE/g DR) and flavonoid (TFC; 55.33 ± 2.52 mg CE/g DR) contents than the other extracts, also displaying high and equipotent condensed tannin (TCTC) contents as the acetone extract. The qualitative HPLC-MS analysis elucidates 19 and 18 compounds in ethanolic and acetonic extracts, respectively, belonging to the phenolics and flavonoids chemical classes. The extracts were also screened for their in vitro antioxidant activities using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide anion, and ferric ion (Fe³⁺) reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), demonstrating the potent antioxidant activity of ethanolic extract, due to its stronger scavenging DPPH^• (IC₅₀ = 7.17 ± 1.26 μg/mL) which is not significantly (p > 0.05) different from the positive control, BHT (IC₅₀ = 10.70 ± 0.61 μg/mL), however moderate activity through FRAP and superoxide anion radicals have been observed. Four Gram-positive, four Gram-negative bacteria, and four pathogenic fungi were used for the antimicrobial activity. In addition, S. epidermidis, M. luteus, E. faecalis, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei were found to be the most susceptible strains towards ethanolic extract. Cytotoxicity values against human colon adenocarcinoma cells (HT29) and human epidermoid cancer cells (Hep2), and one continuous cell lineage control (Vero) revealed that the HT29 cancer cell line was the most responsive to A. indicum shoot extract treatment and significantly (p < 0.05) different from the other cancer cells. Moreover, when tested for their antidiabetic inhibitory effect, ethanol extract recorded the highest antidiabetic effect with IC₅₀ = 13.17 ± 1.04 mg/mL, which is 8.4-fold higher than acetone extract. Therefore, the present study provides new findings on the use of A. indicum shoot ethanolic extract to cure many incurable diseases.